The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection announced Tuesday that bow hunting on Sundays during the private land archery deer season will be permitted in most deer management zones in the state, except for those in north-central Connecticut.

“This new opportunity for hunters will support DEEP efforts to maintain healthy deer populations and ecosystems,” Rick Jacobson, director of DEEP’s Wildlife Division, said in a news release. “When the density of the deer population in a given area is too high — as it is in much of the state — it is not healthy for deer, other species or forest lands.”

The past session of the General Assembly approved Public Act 15-204, An Act Authorizing Bow and Arrow Hunting on Certain Private Property on Sundays.

The new law authorizes DEEP to establish a season for Sunday bow hunting on private properties during the fall archery season in areas of the state with an overpopulation of deer.

It also requires that all such hunting take place at least 40 yards away from blazed hiking trails.

As with all deer or turkey hunting on private lands, hunters must have written permission from the land owner.

Sunday hunting will go into effect starting Oct. 1.

DEEP determined that Sunday archery deer hunting on private lands will be permitted in all but three of the state’s deer management zones, based on its assessment of the deer population in each of the zones.

The three zones where Sunday hunting will not be permitted are in north central Connecticut, including portions of Hartford, Litchfield and Tolland counties.

The deer program administered by DEEP’s Wildlife Division has focused on stabilizing or reducing deer population growth for the best long-term interest of the deer resource, native plant and animal communities and the public, DEEP said.

“Regulated deer hunting has proven to be an ecologically sound, socially beneficial and fiscally responsible method of managing deer populations,” Jacobson said.

Allowing deer hunting on Sundays also provides more opportunity for hunters to go into the field during multiple days on the weekend, instead of on Saturdays only.

“Sunday hunting is expected to increase — by a small percentage — the current annual harvest of about 10,000-13,000 deer for all hunting seasons,” Jacobson added.

Hunters are reminded that all deer harvested must be reported through DEEP’s online harvest registry at www.ct.wildlifelicense.com/HunterReporting/Login.aspx or by telephone at (877) 337-4868.

For information on hunting, visit www.ct.gov/deep/hunting.